The Meiri (Rosh Hashanah 11a) writes that we read the story of Tefillas Chana on the first day of Rosh Hashanah as a lesson in the power of heartfelt prayer on this special day. What is curious is that Chana was without children at this point for 19 and 1/2 years (see Yalkut Bereishis #78). Had she not been davening all those previous years? Why were her tefillos only answered this year? Did she daven with extra intensity only now and if so, why?
The pasukim describe how Elkanah gave Chana the best portion of the korbanos he brought (Shmuel 1, 1:4-7), yet she was too despondent of her childlessness to have the stomach to eat. Rather than eating she was broken and crying. Seeing this and her unbearable pain, Elkana tells her “Chana, why are you crying and why aren’t you eating? Why are you so sad? Am I not more devoted to you than ten sons?” (1:8)
The Malbim explains that till now Chana assumed that she shared a partner in her suffering, that Elkanah was as pained by her bareness as much as she was. She therefore assumed that he davened for her with the same intensity that she did. (Much like Rivkah davened l`nochach ishto, she had till now assumed he was right there with her in tefillah.) So, although she had no doubt davened intensely and with great fervor, her reliance on the assistance of Elkanah’s tefillos, to some degree, took away from the ernstkeit of her own.
